Living in Anticipation

Luke 2: 25-Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

Simeon lived in anticipation. We know this because he was described as righteous and devout. He did all he was able and supposed to do in his waiting. He couldn’t make the Messiah arrive any sooner. He couldn’t speed up or slow down God’s plan. All he could do was wait, but he waited well.

He trusted God’s promise to him. He listened to the Holy Spirit and obeyed His promptings. When the time came, he moved and was able to see God’s promise fulfilled — the promise to Simeon, to Israel, and to the world.

When God keeps a promise to us personally, it’s truly touching. We realize we matter. God sees us. But why Simeon? Who was he? We have no record of where he came from or why he in particular was one waiting, anticipating.

Maybe God spoke a promise to Simeon because he was actively waiting — listening, being obedient, watching, worshiping — anticipating. Perhaps it was in the waiting, the anticipating that God developed a depth in him, gave him words of revelation. Simeon knew the Christ would be for all people. He mentions Gentiles specifically, as did Old Testament scriptures, so perhaps Simeon studied them. If so, he saw in them what the Pharisees and other religious leaders did not. They were not waiting as Simeon was, in anticipation, actively looking for the Messiah.

And God did even more than He promised, didn’t He?

Simeon not only saw the Christ, he held him in his arms. Simeon had no idea the Christ would be a baby, a newborn. He might have imagined a man, a leader coming in power, but God directed him to a humble couple carrying a newborn.

“This is him. Here is my promise — to you, to Israel, to the world.”

Simeon also prophesied over the baby and spoke to his parents, Mary and Joseph. He praised God, declared this baby to be the light of salvation, and God blessed him even more by giving him words for Mary, personal words she would remember her whole life.

We all have the same choice. To simply pass time, expecting God will do something, but not preparing for that day. Or we can live in anticipation, getting ready, living out the faith we profess and growing deeper in wisdom and revelation. And watching. Because the Christ is on His way.